Valve for liquid container



7, 1965 w. B. SHURTLEFF ETAL 3,221,953

VALVE FOR LIQUID CONTAINER Filed Sept. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WOOD B. SHURTLE FF PHIL [P N. RA WSON INVEN TORS FIG.- 4. FIG. fiww ATTORNEY 1965 w. B. SHURTLEFF ETAL 3,221,953

VALVE FOR LIQUID CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 11, 1964 WOOD B. SHURTLEF F PHILIP N. RA WSON INVENTORS 5/ A T TORNE Y United States Patent 3,221,953 VALVE FDR LIQUID CGNTAEJER Wood B. Shurtieif, 8113 Rush St., and Phiiip N. Rawson, 2320 Westbrook, both of Fort Worth, Tex. Filed Sept. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 395,776 4 Elairns. (Cl. 222538) This invention relates to containers for liquids and has reference to a dispensing valve therefor. Particularly, the invention relates to sealed receptacles for carbonated drinks, beer and other liquids containing gas under pressure. Although the invention may have other uses, a primary object is to provide an inexpensive disposable container including a disposable valve for unfiltered tap beer which should be. refrigerated from the time it leaves the brewery until it is dispensed.

A particular object is to provide a disposable container including a disposable dispensing valve and wherein the valve is sealed within the container until ready for use.

A further object is to provide a dispensing valve inwardly of a seal in a container and which valve automatically moves outwardly of the container when the seal is opened.

Another object is to provide a dispensing valve within a container as last referred to and which valve is in hermetically sealed connection with a wall or end of the container at all times.

Another object, in addition to the foregoing objects, is to provide a valve of the described class capable of receiving air or other gas for maintaining or recharging pressure within the container.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a disposable valve in accordance with a preferred form of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the valve illustrated in FIGURE 1, and showing the same in a fragmentary vertical section of a container having a conventional crown cap closure.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the valve in fragmentary section and extended from the container.

FIGURES 4 and 5, respectively, are enlarged bottom and top plan views of the valve, and FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view thereof.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional and elevational view showing recharging means applied to the valve.

FIGURE 8 is a fagmentary vertical sectional and elevational view, somewhat similar to FIGURE 2, of another form of the invention.

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 but showing the valve in its extended position. The action of the valve is shown by means of dotted lines.

FIGURE 10 is an end elevational view of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of sealing plate, the valve installed therein, and a portion of the membrane seal which extends around the plate.

FIGURE 12 is an elevational view of the plate, valve and seal as viewed from the inside of the container.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a pressure tape closure on the container.

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13, but showing the tape removed and the valve extended.

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of the end of the container and showing, as a modification, a pair of reinforcing plates in the opening of the container, together with a pressure tape positioned thereover, and

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary sectional and elevational view of the valve and plate, and showing recharging means applied to the valve.

3,221,953 Fatertted Dec. 7, 1965 The form of the invention shown in FIGURES 1 through 7 includes a generally cylindrical valve 10 designed for sliding action in a tubular sleeve 11 in an end wall 12 of a sheet metal or other inexpensive container 13. During storage or transportation, the container 13 may be placed in any desired or convenient position, but when in position for dispensing the liquid contents the wall 12 is vertical, for example, when the container is resting on the shelf of a refrigerator, not shown. A relatively large opening 14 in the end wall 12 near the periphery thereof receives the sleeve 11, and which sleeve is rigidly supported at its outer end in the projecting end of a generally conical neck 15, the base end of which is secured around the container wall opening. The projectiong end of the neck 15 has a flanged rim 16 on which a crown cap 17 or similar closure is detachably secured prior to dispensing the liquid contents of the container. When in its dispensing position, the container 13 is oriented so that the neck 15 is near the bottom of the vertical wall 12.

The valve 10 is preferably of a semi-flexible material, such as polypropylene or Surlyn A and includes a generally cylindrical body 18, the inner end of which has a circular shoulder 19 of a size to engage the inner end of the container sleeve 11. Intermediate the ends of the valve body 18 there is a ring seal 20 which makes sliding contact with inner surface of the sleeve 11. The ring seal 20 may be of silicon rubber. The upper portion of the body 18 between the shoulder 18 and the seal 20 is recessed in a manner to provide a fiat valve seat 21, the area of which is slanted inwardly with reference to the container and downwardly with reference to the length of the valve 10. The end of the body 18 above the seat 21 at the shoulder 19 is open at 22 for the passage of liquid during the dispensing operation. The distance between the shoulder 19 and the seal 20 is such that the seal remains Within the sleeve 11 when the valve 10 is fully extended as shown in FIGURE 3.

The end of the valve 10 opposite the shoulder 19 has an operator in the form of a lever 23 which projects outwardly of the container neck 15 and is an integral part of the upper portion of the valve body 18. The lever 23 includes an inwardly extending arm 24 having a valve element 25 thereon which makes sealing contact with a dispensing port 26 as best shown in FIGURE 3. The port 26 extends outwardly and thence downwardly in the lower portion of the valve. body 18. The lower surface 27 of the lever 23 is beveled and is, therefore, spaced from the projecting portion 28 of the valve body 18 therebeneath. The extending portion of the valve body 18, outwardly of the port 26, may include a transverse opening 29 for manually pulling the valve 10 outwardly in the event of malfunction.

The contents of the container 13 may be recharged through the port 26 by suitable means, for example, by placing the nozzle 30 of a conventional CO bottle 31 in the mouth of the port 26 and then operating the bottle in the usual manner. To those versed in the art, it will be apparent that .air may be pumped into the container 13 through the port 26 instead of using the CO bottle 31.

Referring now to the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 8 through 14, there is a container 32, similar to the first described container 13, the end wall 33 of which has an opening 34 which is generally triangular at its lower portion and has parallel sides at its upper portion. The described opening generally conforms with that type of closure now in use on beer cans and referred to by the trade as pop top openers. In fact, such openers, not shown, are applicable to the present invention as closures.

The valve 35 is mounted for operation in a sealing plate 36 of polypropylene or the like inwardly of and parallel with the end wall 33. There is a flexible membrane seal 37, of Mylar or the like, which extends outwardly from the periphery of the plate 36, and which membrane seal is secured, at its periphery, to the end wall 33. As will become apparent, the membrane seal 37 has bellows type action when the valve 35 moves outwardly to its dispensing position. There is a dispensing spout 38 integral with the plate 36 and on the side thereof outwardly of the interior of the container 32 and which spout includes a downwardly and outwardly directed dispensing port 39. Above the spout 38 there is an operator in the form of a tapered lever 40 which is integral with a lever arm 41 on the inside of the container 32, and there is a flat valve element 42 on the extending end of the said arm for seating on the plate 36 and closing the port 39. The material of the plate 36 is flexible and the described parts of the valve 35 are integral therewith. By way of example, the plate 36 and valve 35 may be made of polypropylene, Surlyn A, or the like. In FIGURE 13 there is a plate 43 within the opening 34 in the end wall 33, and which plate is temporarily held in place by a length of pressure tape 44. The construction illustrated in FIG- URE 15 is the same as FIGURE 13, except the described reinforcing plate 44 is vertically divided into two separate plates 45.

Means for recharging the second described form of the invention as illustrated in FIGURE 16, is the same as illustrated and described in connection with FIGURE 7. The reference numerals are the same except the nozzle 30 of the CO bottle 31 fits into the dispensing port 39 instead of the dispensing port 26.

The operation of the first described form of the invention is as follows:

The container 13 is filled with liquid having gas therein in the usual manner. The container 13 is positioned as described in the foregoing for dispensing the contents and the closure 17 is removed. Gas pressure within the container 13 pushes the valve 10 outwardly in the sleeve 11 until stopped by the shoulder 19. Downward pressure on the lever 23 raises the valve element 25, and gas pressure within the container causes the liquid to discharge through the dispensing port 26. When the lever 23 is released, pressure within the container 13 closes the valve 10. The axis of the hinge action is indicated by the line a-a in FIGURE 1. When the container 13 is empty, the same, including the valve 10, is thrown away.

The operation of the second described form of the invention is as follows:

The container 32 is filled with liquid and gas in the usual manner and when ready to dispense the contents the end wall 33 is arranged vertically with the spout 38 positioned downwardly. The reinforcing plate 43 or plates 45 are removed and gas pressure within the container 33 moves the valve 35 and spout 38 outwardly through the end wall opening 34. The membrane seal 37, which moves outwardly with the plate 36, prevents leakage around the valve 35. Manual pressure on the lever 40 moves the valve element 42 from its seat and gas pressure within the container 32 discharges liquid through the dispensing port'39. Upon releasing the lever 40, pressure within the container 32 causes the valve element 42 to seat and close the port 39.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary constructions herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for liquids having gas pressure therein, a removable closure around an opening in a wall of said container, a movable manually operated valve having a body and an operator within said container, said body being positioned in abutting contact against said closure by said gas pressure when said closure is in its closed position and said operator being in non-operating condition, and whereby said valve is extended at least partially outwardly of said wall when said closure is removed, and means sealing said valve with said opening at all times.

2. A container as defined in claim 1 and wherein said opening in said wall is a sleeve and wherein said movable valve is slidably mounted.

3. A container as defined in claim 1, and wherein said means sealing said valve with said opening is a flexible membrane therebetween.

4. A container as defined in claim 1 and wherein said movable manually operated valve is a check valve.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,039,656 6/1962 Wentz 222-538 X LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS HAVING GAS PRESSURE THEREIN, A REMOVABLE CLOSURE AROUND AN OPENING IN A WALL OF SAID CONTAINER, A MOVABLE MANUALLY OPERATED VALVE HAVING A BODY AND AN OPERTOR WITHIN SAID CONTAINER, SAID BODY BEING POSITIONED IN ABUTTING CONTACT AGAINST SAID CLOSURE BY SAID GAS PRESSURE WHEN SAID CLOSURE IS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION AND SAID OPERATOR BEING IN NON-OPERATING CONDITION, AND WHEREBY SAID VALVE IS EXTENDED AT LEAST PARTIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID WALL WHEN SAID CLOSURE IS REMOVED, AND MEANS SEALING SAID VALVE WITH SAID OPENING AT ALL TIMES. 